vol. 95 no. 4 May 2010 the newsletter of the golden gate audubon society founded 1917 Join the Fun! Birdathon 2010 here is still time to sign up for Birdathon T 2010 if you don’t delay. You can enjoy exhilarating bird sightings in your backyard, along our shorelines, or farther afi eld—and help Golden Gate Audubon support our important conservation and education programs. The spirit of friendly competition is in the air—along with the many bird species migrating through the Bay Area this time of the year. Sign up today to join this fun event, which is suitable for the entire family and community. Mary Malec With just two weeks left before the May 16 Western Burrowing Owl eating a caterpillar, at Cesar Chavez Park, Berkeley. completion date, you and your friends and fam- ily can get involved in the Birdathon by signing up online, over the phone, or in person at our Bay Area Burrowing Owls Berkeley offi ce. To register online, go to www. goldengateaudubon.org/birdathon. Face Many Challenges A birdathon is like a walkathon, except par- ticipants count bird species instead of miles. Friends, family members, and coworkers support espite the hopes and best efforts of dedicated Golden Gate Audubon vol- you by pledging any amount for each species you D unteers, the number of migrating Western Burrowing Owls that spend identify. Participation in the event automatically winter months in Berkeley’s Cesar Chavez Park continue to decline. Ten years ago, enters you into contests for a chance to win 15 Burrowing Owls were seen in the park. This past season (from October 2009 some fabulous prizes. to April 2010), only three owls were reported by 21 docents who spent more than You can register as an individual or as part of 144 hours observing the owls in the park. Three more owls were seen in the nearby a team. Once you are registered, you will receive Berkeley Meadow. pledge and tally forms (available online) along “Though once one of California’s most common birds, the Burrowing Owl is in with other helpful instructions to get you on decline throughout the state,” said Mike Lynes, Golden Gate Audubon’s Conser- your way. On page 11, you’ll fi nd tips for making vation Director. “We don’t know why the owl population at this particular site is the most of your time in the fi eld. declining. We’ve monitored them closely, tried to reduce disturbances to the owls, BIRDATHON continued on page 11 and even set aside some of Cesar Chavez Park as a fenced wildlife protection area.” Many local populations of the owls have been extirpated or forced onto substan- dard, remnant strips of habitat due to agricultural and urban development. In the 5 Speaker Series: Condors past 10 years alone, Western Burrowing Owl numbers have declined 27 percent 5 Volunteer Appreciation Day (Institute for Bird Populations, 2010). Wind turbines, introduced predators, and 6 Alcatraz Field Trips invasive plants also threaten the owls. inside BURROWING OWLS continued on page 12 ROSTER Sneak Previews board of directors Diane Ross-Leech President e are the bird people—this is the primary factor that distinguishes Golden Gate Al Peters Treasurer W Noreen Weeden Secretary Audubon from other environmental groups. We, like many other nonprofi ts, fi ght to Karim Al-Khafaji Sarah Peterman protect Bay Area wildlife and habitat. But for Golden Gate Audubon members, our mission Whitney Dotson Jay Pierrepont Alan Harper Phil Price starts with our love of birds. As a member, you can also proudly state that you belong to the Carey Knecht Linda Vallee largest Audubon chapter in California, an organization that has been preserving Bay Area Michael Lozeau Rich Walkling Mark Mushkat bird habitat for 93 years. I was hired one year ago to continue Golden Gate Audubon’s proud tradition and simul- executive director taneously to expand our capacity to restore additional habitats, educate more children and Mark Welther 510.843.9912 [email protected] adults, and protect birds from the imminent threats of development and climate change. chief operating officer We are growing a larger and stronger organization to meet these challenges by reaching out Kevin E. Consey [email protected] to new members and constituencies. And we are creating new programs that will enhance conservation director our advocacy clout and position Golden Gate Audubon as one of the Bay Area’s premier bird Mike Lynes 510.843.6551 [email protected] conservation organizations. conservation project manager You hear a lot about our signature programs. But there are several developing projects that Noreen Weeden 510.301.0570 we haven’t talked much about because they are “under construction.” Here’s a sneak preview [email protected] of what we hope to accomplish. Development Director Marsha Mather-Thrift 510.843.7295 • Work with San Francisco’s Bayview Hunter’s Point community educators and leaders [email protected] to expand our Eco-Education Program to San Francisco in 2011. The goal is to educate development Associate Rue Mapp 510.912.2515 children from diverse backgrounds to be California’s future environmental citizens. [email protected] • Improve Golden Gate Audubon’s website to make it a more valuable resource for birders eco-education program manager by providing such features as area bird lists and maps, and online registration for trips Anthony DeCicco 510.843.7293 [email protected] and classes. eco-education program coordinator • Introduce a Backyard Bird Habitat Program so members can create a thriving bird Rubén Guzmán 510.843.7293 [email protected] sanctuary at home that will serve as a model for the neighborhood. office manager • Increase bird monitoring and surveys to provide more scientifi c data on the impact of Stephanie Strait 510.843.2222 development and climate change on bird populations, and inventory potential coastal volunteer coordinator and shoreline restoration sites in order to save valuable habitats on both sides of San Jennifer Robinson Maddox 510.843.9374 [email protected] Francisco Bay. gull managing editor • Coordinate with state and local agencies and nonprofi ts to enhance emergency oil spill Judith Dunham [email protected] response and bird and animal rescue. observations • Expand our Lights Out for Birds program in cooperation with PG&E and other corporate Bruce Mast [email protected] web editor partners. [email protected] • Work cooperatively with the SPCA and local dog-owner groups to establish effective programs for reducing the impact of off-leash dogs on birds. The Golden Gate Audubon Society was founded January 25, 1917, and became a chapter of National Of course, all these developing programs require money, and none is guaranteed. In these Audubon in 1948. Golden Gate Audubon Supporting Membership is $35 per year. Renewals should be sent hard economic times, most groups are looking to make cuts, not create new initiatives. But to the Golden Gate Audubon offi ce. The board of direc- we believe that these programs are important to Bay Area bird conservation and are worth tors meets six times per year (schedule can be obtained from the main offi ce). working to realize. The Gull is published nine times per year. Special Our new Development Director, Marsha Mather-Thrift (profi led on page 4), will join me third-class postage paid in Oakland, CA. Send address changes to offi ce promptly. The post offi ce does not and our board to help Golden Gate Audubon fund these programs. But we also need your forward The Gull. participation to turn this vision into reality. Look for the programs that excite you, and join Golden Gate Audubon Society us. Now is the time to get involved by volunteering, by helping us reach out to a business 2530 San Pablo Avenue, Suite G Berkeley, CA 94702 interested in sponsoring us, or by making your own generous fi nancial contribution. When TEL 510.843.2222 FAX 510.843.5351 you are deciding how important Golden Gate Audubon’s efforts are to you, remember that www.goldengateaudubon.org [email protected] we do it for the birds. Nature Store hours: Monday – Friday, 10 – 5 Design and layout: e.g. communications —Mark Welther, Executive Director 2 THE GULL May 2010 conservation corner The Future Is Now Children these days face an uncer- tain future, as do birds. With the TERNWATCH GEARS UP FOR THE Conservation Committee toured the park planet warming and the climate 2010 SEASON with Parks Superintendent Susan Ferrera changing, life is in fl ux all around us. California Least Terns return soon to their to view the changes. Thus far, the Berke- Even though big changes are some nesting site at the Alameda Wildlife Ref- ley Parks, Recreation, and Waterfront years away and we still have a chance uge, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Department has removed small non-native to reverse climate trends, there is no (USFWS) is looking for dedicated volun- black acacia trees and other invasives time like the present for doing every- teers to participate in this year’s Ternwatch from a 200-foot section along the eastern thing we can. program. Volunteers still have an oppor- side of the main lagoon. Birders and other Every acre restored or preserved for tunity to attend one of the two remaining park visitors will now fi nd nearly 50 newly birds and other wildlife will be crucial orientations before the program starts for planted natives including Coast Live Oak, as species seek to adapt to changes the season. California Buckeye, Western Redbud, and in the environment. And every child Although the site is protected by a fence, Toyon. A small grove of redwoods occupies educated about what he or she can the terns are vulnerable to many predators, a grassy area alongside the main walkway.